Nearly two years after Haiti urgently requested assistance to address a surge in gang violence, the arrival of hundreds of Kenyan police officers has elicited mixed reactions from the Haitian populace.
On Monday, June 24, 2024, in the streets of Port-au-Prince, some residents welcomed the Kenyan police, while others viewed their presence with caution.
Verna Siber, a teacher in Port-au-Prince, expressed optimism: “They have to be everywhere in the country if we are ever going to be free.”
Nathalie François, a nurse, acknowledged that the solution to Haiti’s problems primarily lies with its people but welcomed any help that allows residents the security needed to move freely and sustain themselves.
Maxime Josaphat, an electrician in Port-au-Prince, criticized the delayed response: “We have been suffering for four years.”
The Kenyan police will lead a multinational force against the powerful gangs whose deadly violence has intensified this year. The Haitian National Police is significantly underfunded and ill-equipped, with a U.N. report noting that only around 4,000 officers are on duty at any given time in a country of more than 11 million inhabitants.
The Kenyans’ initial assignment remains unclear. However, they face the daunting task of confronting violent gangs that control 80% of Haiti’s capital and have displaced more than 580,000 people across the country in their quest to control more territory.
According to the U.N. Security Council, additional forces from the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Chad, and Jamaica will join the Kenyans, bringing the total to 2,500 police officers. These forces will be deployed in phases at an annual cost of approximately $600 million.
(AP)
